SOTM2
by The Cactus
Summary: A series of very, very short stories.
1. Keitaro at the Bar

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

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Keitaro was seated alone at the bar. Naru, with whom he had come together, was seated a few seats down the counter, talking with other guys. There was no indication that she knew him at all.

"I suppose... I can't just ask her to drop her old life instantly, even though now she's with me.

He stole a furtive glance at her. She seemed to be having fun flirting with a guy, who was wearing a well cut shirt and looked pretty dang handsome. The man was, certainly, much better looking than he was.

"I... why did I even come?This just makes me feel stupid," he said to no one in particular.

She noticed his look and gave him a wink before turning away again, before he had a chance to respond.

"I'm hopeless. Before, I went to bars, drinking alone. Now, supposedly with a girlfriend, I'm still drinking alone. I'm pathetic."

He must have looked pretty damned despondent, for the bartender, who, after he had finished the order of another customer, came to strike up a conversation with him.

"Bad day?"

"Yeah. I suppose. Actually, not really. I suppose I just spontaneously felt like being depressed. I was rather fine just a while ago. Shucks. Thanks for asking, anyway."

"I notice that the girl who came with you is with some guys up the counter."

"Yeah, she used to be a real party animal. It'll be too selfish for me to stop her, since that's what she likes to do, right?"

"Ah, but sometimes, bud, you've got to be a little selfish when it comes to matters like this. Go on, go get her back."

"... I'll pass."

The bartender gave him a look that said, "It's your choice", before moving away as another customer came up.

_I know that's what I should be doing, but I'm pathetic. I can't do it. I can't bring myself to do it. Ugh goddamn, I'm hopeless._

Suddenly, a light, familiar voice, with a rather sexy quality to it, pierced through his self depreciating mind fog and reached his ears.

"Hey, Keitaro. What's bothering you? I noticed it when you looked at me just now."

He felt himself getting hot under the collar. The proximity of her mouth from his ear didn't help matters any.

_Dang! Even now, she still has that effect on me. What do I say now? That I'm not exactly happy with the way you're flirting with all the guys in the bar? No, I can't say that._

He looked at her, her eyes pulling him in, before turning away and muttering, "Nothing."

"Silly, silly Keitaro... you're not happy that I'm teasing all these other guys right? Don't you know that... no matter my actions... I'll always be yours?" She snuggled her heard into his shoulder.

"N-No I'm not... It's fine with me, since this is what you like..."

"You don't have to lie with me... come on, let's go home."

"What? But we just arrived."

"It's okay, I feel like spending the rest of the night cuddling on the couch with you..."

_Well, perhaps tonight doesn't suck that much anymore._

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**A/N: Phew, this one got longer than I thought it would. It has a nice length, though.**_  
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	2. She's Leaving

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

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He walked into the room to see her with a suitcase on the bed and her clothes neatly folded. She was packing her personal items into the suitcase.

"Don't go."

She didn't turn around. "I'm sorry, I have to."

"Why? Why do you have to leave?"

"He says that he still loves me... and seeing him again, I've... I'm, so fickle, aren't I? I know I just came back, but..." Her voice had little hiccups in it.

"Please stay with me."

"Then what do I have to do? Do I wait...? While you get over her?"

"Yes, if that is what you have to do, then wait, while I get over it."

She stopped her packing and stood up straight, turning to look him in the eye. "I know why you want me to do this. It's because of what I did in the past, isn't it? This is the best way. You should go according to your feelings, and they don't point towards me now. That's what I went through, and that's what I did. It's... alright for you to do the same."

"I'll admit I wavered... I told you I needed time! I'll come back... eventually..."

"This isn't wavering... you love Motoko, and you know it... this won't... I can't." Tears started to gather in her eyes.

"Please... stay... I'm begging you..." He pleaded with her, but...

"You know me... nothing you say will change my mind. I'm sorry. I think I'll come back for my things later." She walked past him towards the door.

"... Neither he, nor she, is the that reason you're leaving. You're leaving because of your ambition..."

She cried.

"... Was Motoko the best reason you could come up with? Please... don't lie to me... anymore."

She ran out through the door.

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**A/N: Yep, I fired another one from the hip. Make up your own back story, if you like. I haven't really thought about it...**


	3. A Mistake

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

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"I can't believe that... even you would think that I'm the one who did it."

She turned her back to him, and her head tilted forwards.

"I'm sorry... if I seem to be that sort of person to you. I'm sorry."

She turned back, and he could see that there were tears flowing down her cheeks. She began to run away from him.

_Crap. I should have known...! I can't believe Motoko, she set this all up, and I fell right for it!_

"Wait up, Shinobu! I know you didn't do it... damn!" Even as the words came out of his mouth, he knew that they rang unbearably hollow, considering what he had just unthinkingly accused her of doing.

He began to run after her.

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"I'm such an idiot... Keitaro... he... I hate this! In the end, I still can't trust anybody..." The tears coming out of her eyes were beginning to obscure her vision.

_I guess I've... been a loner all long._

"Wait up, Shinobu!"

She gasped. _N-No... I can't let him... I..._

"Stop."

_What?_

She hadn't realized it, but when he had called after her, she had already began to slow down, and before she knew it, he was right behind her. She felt a hand on her shoulder. and it jolted her enough that she came to a stop.

She turned around, just as his arms encircled her shoulders.

"... Let go of me." She closed her eyes in an attempt to stem the flow of tears.

"I won't."

"You... you hate me for what I did..."

"I know you didn't do it... I'm an idiot to have believed her... I was just, just too eager to try to get you out of trouble... but it seems that what I did was... too much."

She turned around and returned his embrace. "It hurt me so much when you told me to apologize... I thought you trusted me..."

"I do."

She pushed him away, and the sudden reaction caused him to fall onto his butt.

"YOU DON'T! YOU LIE! GET AWAY FROM ME!!!"

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**A/N: It pains me to put Motoko as the villain, but she fits. **

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	4. Sick

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

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He knocked on the door. "Motoko, I'm coming in..."

He opened the door. She was lying on the futon, her blanket pulled up to her shoulders. Her face was red, and she was shivering despite the heat. It was obvious that she wasn't feeling well.

He walked over to her and set the tub of water down. He put a small towel into the tub, wetting it, before squeezing it dry and putting it on her forehead. She opened her eyes at the cool touch of the wet towel.

"... Keitaro...?"

"It's me. Are you feeling better?"

She turned away from him, the wet towel falling off. "... Get out."

He smiled. "Just go to sleep, concentrate on getting better. I'll watch over you."

"Please... get out. I don't want to see you."

He sighed. "Motoko... I don't know what I may have done something to anger you... and it's alright if you don't want to talk to me anymore, but just let me stay here with you, for today, okay?"

"Why are you always like that?"

Her tone was forceful, entirely different from the weak voice she had earlier.

"Why are you always so kind?"

She turned to him. "It bothers me, so don't be so kind!"

He tried to put on a smile, but his confusion was plain to see. The expression on his face ended up being a pleading, forced smile.

"Why, you say? ... I always want you to be happy."

She sat up and looked him in the face. He noticed that there were tears in eyes, and the message written in them was one of pain, loneliness.

"I like you, Keitaro!"

There was a stunned silence as he took in her words. But then, with surprising strength, she pulled him out and pushed him through the door.

"Get out!" she screamed at him, before slamming the door in his face.

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**A/N: Couldn't resist this one.**


End file.
